2022-12-31-accounts

WOODCROFT CHRISTIAN CENTRE

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31[ST ] DECEMBER 2022

Registered Charity Number 237401

WOODCROFT CHRISTIAN CENTRE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

Contents Page Trustees’ annual report 1-5 Independent examiner’s report 6 Statement of accounts 7

Page 1

Annual Report for the year ending 31[st] December 2022

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

1. Reference and Administration Details

Woodcroft Christian Centre, Woodcroft Lane, Woodcroft, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 7PZ. Is registered with the Charity Commissions (reg.no.237401) and constituted by a deed of Trust dated 23[rd] August 1890.

The charity trustees are:

Chairman: Mr K. Bounds. Other Members: Mr L Weller Mr A H Samuel Mr M W Townsend Mr. P Bellingham

Nature and period of appointment: Appointment at the invitation of other trustees and no fixed period of time.

No remuneration or expenses have been paid to charity trustees during the year

The Management Committee is responsible for the management and organisation of the centre and reports to the trustees on an annual basis. The members are: Chairman: Mr James Marshall Re-elected 3[rd] April 2022 Treasurer: Mr M W Townsend Re-elected 28[th] March 2021

Other members: Keith Bounds Les Weller
Lily Hall John Newell Resigned 3rdApril 2022
James Townsend Richard Nicholas
Josh Bounds Jonathan Kear Resigned 3rdApril 2022
Roz Bounds appointed 3rdApril 2022
Tom Allen Appointed 29thMay 2022
Nikki Allen Appointed 29thMay 2022
Jo Thrower Appointed 29thMay 2022

Secretary to the Committee: Mrs Roz Bounds Elected 3[rd] April 2022

Nature and Period of appointments: Invitation by committee must be raised and agreed at 2 consecutive meetings prior to invitation. No fixed term for members. Chairman serves for 1 year, Treasurer 2 years and Secretary 3 years. Any of the officers can stand for re-election. No remuneration or expenses have been paid to committee members during the year.

Page 2

TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

Other main Agents:

Bankers: Barclays Bank UK P.L.C 121 Queen Street Cardiff CF10 2BJ National Westminster Bank P.L.C. 21 Eastgate Street Gloucester GL1 1NH Solicitors: Everett, Tomlin, Lloyd and Pratt 19-20 Gold Tops Newport NP20 4PH Honorary Auditor: Christopher Wathen 31 Birchwood Road Woolaston Gloucestershire GL15 6PE Manager of Centre: Mr. Gareth Birt Sunnydene Woodcroft, Chepstow, Mon NP16 7PZ

The charity employs a full-time manager together with a part-time assistant and part-time house keepers, With Student Workers providing part –time help, assisting with housekeeping and ground maintenance as and when required. A considerable amount of voluntary help is also utilised at the centre.

2022 saw all staff returning to normal duties following the uncertainty of the previous couple of years.

TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

Page 3

2. Objectives and Review of Activities:

Woodcroft Christian Centre’s aim is to encourage the commitment of peoples lives to the Lord Jesus Christ and spiritual development in individuals of all ages, families, churches and groups, through the provision of Woodcroft Christian Centre, it’s leisure facilities and grounds. We aim to keep the cost of staying at Woodcroft Christian Centre as low as practically possible thus enabling those who may otherwise not afford it the opportunity to experience a retreat and to be influenced by the Gospel.

The Trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on Public Benefit and also the guidance on “ The Advancement of Religion for Public Benefit” published in December 2008, in assessing which activities it undertakes.

We intend to provide benefit by:

• Provision of property for group retreats.

• Providing good ethical and moral codes through following the teaching of Jesus.

• Contributing to people’s good mental and physical health by offering retreats in a Christian atmosphere.

• Providing opportunities for worship.

• Contributing to spiritual well-being and development.

• Contributing to the spiritual and moral education of young people.

People can come to Woodcroft Christian Centre where they will be welcomed to a Christian atmosphere and encouraged in their spiritual development. It is hoped that the wider public will also benefit through people returning to their communities keen to practice Jesus’ teaching to love their neighbour as themselves.

The objects of the charity are achieved as follows:

• Christian groups are encouraged to use the site for fellowship and fun in a relaxed Christian atmosphere and to take time to seek spiritual development.

• Members of the surrounding community are invited to use the facilities as part of a number of local ministries and events which are run for their benefit, along with having access to areas of the grounds for contemplation and reflection.

TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

Page 4

The Charity usually carries out a number of activities with a view of achieving these objectives . As Covid19 restrictions where relaxed we slowly started to rebuild our activities as people regained confidence to meet.

These include:

• Luncheon Club for over 50’s run in partnership with the local Parish Church (monthly) Numbers were low at start of the year with older folk still at risk and unsure about meeting others. Sadly a number of our more senior regulars had also passed away during the time we were unable to hold luncheon club because of restrictions.

• Numbers increased steadily during the year with a number of new faces coming along.

• Our annual Bonfire Night and Firework event for the local community was able to resume in November 2022, a fantastic evening was held with approx. 500 joining us from across the community, lots of positive feedback from people who had missed not being able to join us over last 2 years.

• A Pantivity was held during December performed by 4Front theatre company and made avaialble free of charge to the juniors from Tutshill C of E school during the day. A public preformace also took place in the evening with neighbours and locals enjoying, along with some traditional Carols.

Residentially Although bookings have resumed following the Covid -19 Pandemic Group numbers have been smaller than those seen previously, especially during the first six months of the year as people still remained cautious. Most groups book their stay well in advance and the restrictions that were still in place at the start of year then had an impact on bookings later into the year. The new Marquee was extended by another bay (9m by 3m) providing more covered space outside. Over the course of the year we welcomed a total of 47 groups, made up of 1497 people and accounting for 156 nights usage. The duration of stay included 12 day stay, 5 weeks, 8 midweek, 31 weekends and 1 one night.

We continued to offer our flexible Covid-19 Guarantee to all groups giving groups the confidence to book should another lockdown occur.

The Charity is committed to fulfilling its charitable purpose to further the Christian faith. It is expected that a Christian group will subscribe to the basis of faith published by the Evangelical Alliance. The Charity does not accept bookings for use of it’s facilities from groups seeking to promote or actively support a faith which is non-Christian, or an ideology, morality or life-style incompatible with it’s Christian purpose.

TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)

Page 5

3. Financial Review

The financial statement for the year end 31[st] December 2022 can be found on page 7 of this report and shows a Deficit of £2065.70

The income from group lettings was considerably more than 2020/2021 however due to the smaller group sizes as mentioned above not quite back to the levels of 2019.

We again remain extremely thankful to our generous supporters who have continued to give, and we have seen our gift income increase by 70% on pre Covid time.

During the year we were able to invest in some well overdue improvements with carpets and curtains being replaced in all the accommodation blocks, and a start made on painting the exterior of the dining room and chalets.

As part of the trustees’ financial review it was agreed that all deposits for bookings would continue to be allocated as ‘Restricted Funds’ as subject to our flexible Covid-19 Guarantee and refundable.

As with all Charities, business and individuals alike the soaring energy costs haven’t gone unnoticed, contingency plans were put in place early in 2022 to meet the expected increase which has in fact seen our energy cost double during the year. It was decided at the March Management Meeting that having not increased the cost of using the facilities at Woodcroft since January 2019 we now needed to make changes to cover increasing costs.

Following on from last year’s recommendation funds have also been moved to a deposit account to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds which equates to at least three months unrestricted payments (to be reviewed and increased if required in early 2023), this is to cover emergency situations that may arise from time to time.

4. Plans for the future:

As we strive to rebuild the residential side of the work back to the number of bookings and group sizes of 2019 and earlier, we will continue to invest in the site making improvements and updating facilities where finances allow, safeguarding and securing the use of facilities for generations to come.

We will also continue to build ‘community’ within the local area supporting and bringing people together where possible.

We will continue to work tirelessly to make Woodcroft Christian Centre the special place it is and will be for so many people.

Approved by the Trustees on Sunday 23[rd ] July 2023

…………………………………… Mr K.Bounds Chairman

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